Chapter 14 (Fairy Tail Campaign): Predator and Prey
Short Summary Long Summary Millianna hears a scream, and after some thought, realizes that’s Kagura’s voice. When she hears more screaming, she dashes through the mist towards her, despite her team’s shouts of protest. Neliel then volunteers to chase after her, but Kurotsuchi argues they need to stay together, but Kitsuchi sides with Neliel, saying Millianna shouldn’t go alone. Kurotsuchi says it’s her funeral, when Neliel departs, thinking she’ll catch up eventually. Kitsuchi then whacks Kurotsuchi in the head, telling her to act like a Rock Ninja. He admits that if things were the same as before the Akatsuki, he would’ve forced Neleil to stay and let Millianna die. Seeing his father, Ōnoki, change has convinced him to never leave a comrade alone. The two then keep moving in the direction they were headed, having faith in Neliel and Millianna. Kagura is on the ground, crying at the sword’s remains. Mangetsu is furious at having his prize taken, cursing Kagura for depriving him of seeing the blade’s potential. He then stomps over, raging at being ignored. She still does not respond, just looking at him with watery, dead-looking, eyes. Mangetsu realizes that the sword was really a part of her soul, and wonders what kind of trauma would lead to a breakdown from a lost sword, or if she’s just screwed up. He decides that he’ll kill her so he’ll never find out, and when he swings down Hiramekarei, is blocked by Hōzukimaru. Ikkaku then comments about the bursts of power and screaming that led him to them, never imagining what he’d find. He chastises the ninja for trying to kill someone who can’t fight back, remembering Kenpachi preaching about not killing those who can’t fight back. When Mangetsu scoffs at the notion, Ikkaku is able to push Mangetsu away from Kagura, saying he won’t let war stop him from following his beliefs. He tells Mangetsu to ready himself, but Yumichika and Cavendish appear, telling him to get back so they can get a shot, much to Ikkaku’s surprise, thinking the two would kill each other. Mangetsu laughs at the three ganging up on him, saying he’ll fight all three at once. Ikkaku claims Squad 11 just does one-on-one, but the others say this is an exception, leading to all three charging Mangetsu. Fuguki sends hair needles towards Brook, who is able to effortlessly block each one, with Fuguki angrily thinking he should be dead already. Fuguki then charges, swinging Samehada, and when that is blocked, leaps back into the mist. Brook then takes the initiative, charging Fuguki. When the Mist Swordsman raises Samehada to block, Brook simply moves past him, sheathing his Soul Solid. After three steps, blood spits out of Fuguki, with Brook having used the Three Verse Humming: Arrow Notch Slash, drawing comparisons to the Samurai’s Iaijutsu. Brook laughs, earning a curse from Fuguki, promising to rip him apart. When Brook comments that his sword doesn’t look like it can cut, Fuguki admits he’s right, adding that Samehada shaves, instead of cuts, to devour energy and drain opponents, and Brook fighting without special energy speaks volumes on the power of the Pirate World. Brook makes a Skull Joke about blushing, Fuguki once again promises to rip him apart, changing the form of Samehada by unwrapping the bandages. Brook screams in horror at the sight, earning a smirk from Fuguki, who ponders whether to rip him apart with the teeth or scales. Brook makes another skull joke, earning a frown and deep sigh from his opponent. Fuguki swings Samehada at Brook, who is able to leap away, but it’s mouth lunges for the skeleton. He is forced to stop it with Soul Solid, and channels his soul to freeze the blade, making Samehada recoil from the temperature. After Fuguki comments on the surprise, Brook uses a Gavotte, Bond en Avant to impale Fuguki’s shoulder, while freezing the area around the wound. Once Fuguki rips the ice away, his annoyance causes him to abandon all sense of stealth and just charge the skeleton. Brook is easily able to dodge, leaping into the air and using a Swallow, Bond en Avant, to cut Fuguki’s sword shoulder, thinking it should incapacitate him. Fuguki then switches Samehada to his left hand, and swings for Brook. While that swing would miss Brook’s head, it would still hit his afro, leading to Brook dodging. As Brook expresses relief, Fuguki confusedly asks why, with Brook responding his dream would have died if he lost his afro, remembering Laboon. Fuguki then says that information guarantees his victory, with Brook growling at the lack of honor. Fuguki says honor means little in war, and he will use every bit of information to distract and defeat him. He charges, but Brook just moves past him, chiding him for his arrogance and claiming victory. He sheathes Soul Solid, revealing a vertical, icy, cut on Fuguki, calling it Song of Scratches, Blizzard Slice. When Fuguki collapses, he thinks he can’t lose, deciding to gain more power by merging with Samehada. His roar stops Brook, and when the skeleton turns around, the empowered Fuguki horrifies him. Fuguki then grabs Brook and throws him. Jinin notices the mist beginning to fade, wondering whether Fuguki or Mangetsu was not maintaining their end. Drake pounces at the swordsman, who attempts to swing Helmet Splitter towards the dino’s head, but the hammer is knocked out of the way by Drake’s tail. He then stops the blade of Helmet Splitter with his teeth, earning a curse from Jinin. After he throws Jinin to the side, he smirks about Dinosaurs once being the deadliest of predators, earning a shout of Shinobi being the greatest of predators. Jinin slams Helmet Splitter into the ground, forcing Drake back with the shockwave, and follows up with another attempt on Drake’s head, who dodges just in time, letting the weapon to hit the ground instead, forcing Drake to admit the Helmet Splitter’s power. Jinin presses the offensive, forcing evasive actions from Drake, until he uses an opening to strike Jinin with his tail. Jinin growls at Drake thinking he’s better than him, shouting his identity as part of the strongest Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Drake responds by saying reputations don’t matter, and that only those left in the end do. Jinin then angrily rants about what he had to do to become a Ninja, having to kill his own comrades thanks to Yagura’s graduation test, yelling he built his reputation from the blood of his comrades. Drake instantly pins Jinin down, growling about Jinin disregarding everyone else because he had it bad. Drake then names himself a former Marine Rear Admiral, citing what he was forced to watch, such as men gunning down civilians for “justice”, even participating since he thought it was right. When asked what changed, Drake says he watched a comrade executed for disobeying orders. They were to wipe out an entire town, and since Sakazuki was leading them, they were very thorough in the wiping out part, less so in the investigative part. They then found a relative of said comrade amongst the dead. When they found hiding civilians, she tried to protect them, getting shot in the process. Drake remembers her as a good friend and soldier, shot for doing the right thing. He then realized what he had done to the innocent, leaving the Marines. Drake glares at Jinin, saying he should’ve walked if he didn’t want to kill his friends, telling the ninja to keep things in perspective. If they weren’t at war, he would’ve spared Jinin so he could figure things out, but since its war, he decides to send Jinin to his deceased friends, tearing into his throat with razor sharp teeth. While Mangetsu is hardly fazed by his opponents, he notices the mist thinning out, angrily wondering what happened to Jinin and Fuguki, but then greedily thinks about their swords. Ikkaku then briefly beheads Mangetsu, cursing for him to focus on the fight. Mangetsu reforms, taunting them for being unable to harm him. Cavendish cleaves through Mangetsu with Durandal, who responds with a strike that is quickly blocked. Yumichika then rushes him, cutting him to no avail. He sends Cavendish off balance and swings Hiramekarei at Yumichika, who is able to block it. Mangetsu asks why Yumichika bothers attacking, since he seems to have some intelligence. Yumichika responds by raising a hand, saying he wanted to be close enough so Mangetsu couldn’t dodge. He sends a Hadō #4, Byakurai, making Mangetsu scream in pain as lightning surges through the watery body. He leaps away, frantically thinking they know his weakness, vanishing into the mist. Mangetsu decides to use a lot of chakra to thicken the mist, causing Ikkaku to curse. Cavendish deduces that Mangetsu is the only one keeping up the jutsu. Yumichika then asks the other two to distract Mangetsu and force him into Yumichika’s line of vision for a clear shot. Cavendish grins at getting the chance to vent, while Ikkaku admits the need for strategy and tells Yumichika to do what needs to be done. They both move out, and are soon both charged by Mangetsus wielding Hiramekareis. They are both able to disperse the clones facing them, with a jab and a Beautiful Sword: Blue Bird. Yumichika hears both fights, and waits for the signal, but is cut deep in the back, reaching his spine. Mangetsu complains about not having enough chakra in that attack, deciding to retreat and rest after killing Yumichika. At this point a Nekōsoku Tube restrains Mangetsu, with Millianna stating she saw the swordsman when the mist cleared up, and was able to track him and wait for his guard to go down. Ikkaku and Cavendish arrive, with the former complimenting Millianna. The mist clears up, and Mangetsu desperately asks why he isn’t liquefying, with her laughing that her Binding Magic cut off his chakra, guessing that her magic can also work with chakra and spirit energy. Cavendish then connects the dots between Mangetsu’s chakra and becoming liquid, deciding to wail on him, much to Mangetsu’s horror. Appearing Characters Millianna Kitsuchi Kurotsuchi Nelliel Tu OderSchvank Kagura Mikazuchi Mangetsu Hōzuki Ikkaku Madarame Yumichika Ayasegawa Cavendish Fuguki Suikazan Brook Jinin Akebino X-Drake Abilities Magic * Binding Magic ** Nekōsoku Tube Kido * Hadō #4, Byakurai Zanpakuto * Hōzukimaru Weapons * Hiramekarei * Samehada ((鮫肌, Literally meaning: Shark Skin) * Soul Solid * Helmet Splitter * Durandal Techniques * Three Verse Humming: Arrow Notch Slash * Gavotte, Bond en Avant (French for "Leap Forward") * Swallow, Bond en Avant * Song of Scratches, Blizzard Slice * Beautiful Sword: Blue Bird Previous/Next Chapter Previous Chapter: Chapter 13 (Fairy Tail Campaign): Demons Appear Next Chapter: Chapter 15 (Fairy Tail Campaign): The Strong OnesCategory:Worth Woodsea Arc Category:Chapters Category:Fairy Tail Campaign